The Ladders: Monster.com for Executives

The Ladders claims to have the most $100K and higher jobs on the Web, and that it's the premier job search engine for executives, C-level professionals, and directors.

I first heard about The Ladders when I saw one of its commercials, which seemed to indicate that the service is better than others, because it's more exclusive about the resumes it had and the job postings it receives. The Ladders claims to have the most $100K-and-higher jobs on the Web, and that it's the premier job search engine for executives, C-level professionals, and directors. (And here I thought high-level professionals did most of their recruiting the old fashioned way: by networking.)

The Ladders claims to help executives and directors focus their job searches by partnering with leading companies to deliver targeted and detailed job postings, and to help companies looking to fill senior roles by hosting only resumes from serious professionals with strong qualifications. I suppose CEOs and VPs need their own job search engine; after all, they're looking for a different type of job with different qualifications than most job seekers. And there's a somewhat low signal-to-noise ratio of good job postings versus "work from home" scams on some other job sites.

The site boasts over 62,000 jobs from over 43,000 hand-screened recruiters, in fields ranging from medicine and technology to real estate and corporate operations, all with salaries over $100K. The service has all the features you expect from a job search engine, and allows you to post your resume for potential recruiters to see, manage multiple resumes and apply to job listings electronically. It has something of a social-networking aspect, as you don't just create a profile--you assemble a bio for yourself. This gives potential employers more insight into your accomplishments and achievements and helps you stand out as a senior-level candidate.

The trouble with The Ladders is that the only way it seems able to guarantee that "qualified candidates" are the only ones on the site is to make people pay to post their resumes. Basic accounts are free, but that level gives you only limited access to job listings. Paid accounts start at $30 per month or $180 a year. The trouble with this philosophy is that you'll certainly attract candidates with money to spend on a job search, but that's no guarantee you'll get candidates with qualifications too.

You also have to select your annual income when you sign up, and it's important to notice that there's no selection for someone making less than $75k a year. If you don't make that much, you'll be told that "TheLadders.com targets highly qualified, motivated job seekers. That's why employers and recruiters value TheLadders.com members so highly. One of those qualifications is already making over $75K." Granted, the message goes on to say they're sure you'll get to their level soon, but they suggest you redirect your job search to sites like Monster.com and Hotjobs.com.

I'm being a bit hard on The Ladders because it offers few guarantees that the "it takes money to make more money" philosophy actually works. Even so, the service has to have had some success, considering the list of leading companies that are posting jobs there: Microsoft, eBay, Google, Starbucks, Verizon, Avaya, and even Best Buy all partner with The Ladders to fill some of their top-level positions. Even so, if you ask most senior-level professionals how they recruit for other senior-level positions, they'll usually tell you that networking with colleagues and establishing strong professional relationships is most important.